GEAR REVI EW | BLACKMAG I C 12K
The new Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro sets a new standard for the market – a camera that records in 12K UP THE RESOLUTION PR I CE £97 1 4 / $9995
WORDS & P I CTURES ADAM DUCKWORTH
– certainly in comparison to the Ursa Mini Pro 12K. This gives larger photosites on the sensor, which is ideal for high-ISO performance and faster read-outs, enabling the processors to offer higher bit rates and things like advanced on-sensor phase detection AF. Blackmagic went a very different route, with dizzyingly high 12K resolution on a smaller, Super 35 CMOS sensor of its own, a unique design that has a modest maximum ISO of 3200. So, when this is downsized to 4K, the resolution is still very impressively detailed. But, naturally, the smaller sensor is packed with very tiny photosites, which Blackmagic claims is where the actual magic happens. These smaller photosites may not have the best high-ISO performance, but when there is plenty of light available, the highlight roll-off and colour gradation are much more akin to film. And skin tones are beautifully accurate. The look is more closely aligned with the CCD sensors of earlier generations of digital cameras, rather than the current CMOS chips. These CCD sensors are praised for giving a more organic look to the image, which is often because they used three distinct colour sensors – one to record red, one blue and one green. Many top-rated TV and film cameras had three different sensors, which were combined in the final footage.
individuals. But nobody broadcasts or has the equipment to watch 12K footage, so is it a waste? Certainly, there isn’t a queue of filmmakers calling for even more resolution. Yet 12K recording has its uses right now, too. You are future- proofing your footage, which could be a vital factor for shooters recording stock image libraries. And that huge resolution means that if you are delivering in HD, or even 4K, you can crop in and do basic camera moves in the edit. You can shoot two people talking in an interview, then actually make it look like three shots – the wide, and then two headshots, all by cropping in on one bit of footage. Or if you are filming something that moves erratically, such as wildlife, you can shoot a bit wider, confident in the knowledge that if your subject moves, it still remains in frame. So, you can edit it down to HD or 4K later and crop in. And, for VFX workers who want every tiny bit of resolution, the camera makes a lot of sense. However, the best reason for shooting in 12K is to take advantage of why Blackmagic really designed this camera in the first place, and that’s to produce the best possible 4K footage that has a very filmic look, rather than being overly ‘digital’ in appearance. Many rivals go for larger 35mm sensors, with relatively low resolution
BELOW The menus on the new Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro are easy to use and navigate
f there’s one company that loves to do things that bit differently, it’s Blackmagic Design.
And not just because the people at its Australian HQ obviously have a sense of humour – calling the 7in-wide 6K camera with a 5in rear touchscreen and a large lens on the front a ‘pocket cinema camera’. Or perhaps dubbing the new 12K Ursa cinema camera the ‘Mini’. With the highest resolving power of any camera on the market and a solid metal body that weighs in at about 2.55kg/5.62lb with a compact V-Lock battery and small prime lens, it’s hardly a very compact option. Of course, the release of a camera that records in 12K is a groundbreaking move. With 4K becoming the norm for recording and delivery, 8K is just about on the horizon for a few tech-savvy
24 DEF I N I T ION | MARCH 202 1
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